Sound Guy, The Most Underrated Role In Production.

‘Huh, whats that annoying hissing sound?’… The sound guy is the Emile Heskey of the production team. He works hard and does not get the appreciation/recognition that he deserves when he is on the field of play.

Imagine holding up your bathroom mop over your head for 8 or more hours, for 2 weeks straight (sometimes more)…yeah, doesn’t sound fun does it…

The role of the sound engineer can be split into two categories:

Sound Production: This includes all the recording on set or location and is often designated to one person.

Sound Post-Production: This often involves the balancing, mixing, editing and enhancing of pre-recorded audio that has been obtained from file.

Sound technician operating a boom pole

The job can be a rewarding one as sound is a critical component of bringing any production to another level. The audience can often notice bad sound very quickly, so good sound should not be considered a fluke or one-off. It is a skill that is honed through practical experience and great attention to detail.

Always remember… you don’t just watch a film, you watch and listen. Audio is 50% of the film.